1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to self-cleaning toilets and particularly to a toilet bowl that automatically flushes and lowers within a cylinder to a cleaning position, the interior of the bowl is then contacted by a brush cleaning assembly, including a detergent spray and then is raised back up to the ready-for-use position.
2. Description of Related Art Including Information Disclosed Under 37 CFR 1.97 and 1.98
Cleaning a toilet is important for both aesthetic and health reasons. In addition to the waste that may soil the toilet bowl, a great many water supply systems have bacteria or minerals or other matter that causes stains and deposits in water that is left sitting for any period of time, particularly around the water line. Cleaning toilets in not a pleasant task and few people are likely to enjoy the job, so that it may not be cleaned for a long period of time. The longer the time between cleanings, the more difficult the task becomes because the stains set into the porcelain and require major scrubbing and chemicals to remove them.
While some attempts have been made by the prior art to solve the problem, they do not adequately address the need for high frequency and intensity of cleaning.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,210,973, issued Jul. 8, 1980 to Decaux, puts forth a sanitary unit that comprises at least one vessel such as a bowl, basin or a lavatory pan. In this unit the vessel is movable between a position of use and a cleaning position. The unit comprises rotary brush for cleaning the vessel when the latter is in its cleaning position and means for controlling the displacement of the vessel between the two positions and means for actuating the rotary brush.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,279,008, issued Jan. 18, 1994 to Ritter, concerns a sanitary cell with automatic cleaning device for the toilet bowl. The sanitary cell includes a sanitary chamber, a first technical equipment chamber, for accommodating toilet bowl cleaning appliances, and a wall, which separates the two chambers and which supports, on its opposite sides, two toilet bowls which are located in the sanitary and first technical equipment chambers, respectively. The toilet bowl, which is located in the sanitary chamber, has an opening, which points upwardly. The toilet bowl, which is located in the first technical equipment chamber, has an opening, which points downwardly. A second technical equipment chamber is located beneath the floor of the sanitary chamber. A separating wall pivots about a horizontal axis to enable the pivoting of the toilet bowls from the first technical equipment chamber, through the second technical equipment chamber, and into the sanitary chamber, so that the toilet bowls can be cleaned. The sanitary and technical equipment chambers have respective openings in the area of the respective bowls so as to accommodate their pivotal movement.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,919,726, issued Nov. 18, 1975 to Godwin, puts forth a self-cleaning water closet wherein either the bowl or a specifically provided cabinet-type enclosure is pivotally movable between a first non-cleaning position and a second cleaning position. When in the cleaning position, the cabinet-type enclosure sealably encloses at least a portion of the bowl before washing begins.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,829,906, issued Aug. 20, 1974 to McPhee, concerns a hospital patient care unit, which consists of a folding toilet in a compact cabinet wherein the cowl of the toilet is removable so that the unit can be used either as a bedpan or in the normal manner. The unit is designed so that when it is closed, the bowl is automatically flushed and washed out and an interlock prevents opening the cabinet while the flushing operation is taking place.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,726,079, issued Feb. 23, 1988 to Signori, is for a height adjustable toilet bowl, which includes a water-actuated cylinder for moving it between a low position and a high position. The toilet bowl has a cleaning water circuit adapted to be connected to a water supply pipe, a hose interposed between the cleaning water circuit and the water supply pipe and an outlet pipe connected to a discharge duct through an extensible pipe. The water-actuated cylinder is a flexible cylinder connectable selectively to the water supply pipe and to the cleaning water circuit through a three position valve, a pipe being interposed between the flexible cylinder and the three position valve.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,647,074, issued Jul. 15, 1997 to White, Jr., shows a public toilet facility which is self-cleaning, automatic, and handicapped accessible. The facility offers a toilet that not only lowers from a vertical position to a horizontal position, but can also be adjusted vertically to different heights. High-pressure water jet nozzles are provided within the facility for high pressure cleaning of the toilet bowl and seat when the bowl is in the vertical position. The compact facility has a semicircular door, which is stored behind the equipment and machinery compartment when the facility is unoccupied.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,090,069, issued Feb. 25, 1992 to Decaux, claims a self-cleaning sanitation module that comprises a toilet pan movable between a use position and a cleaning position in which it is behind a separating wall. A back is provided movable between two positions, a use position and a cleaning position in which the back in disposed vertically above the pan. The displacement of the pan and the back between their use position and their cleaning position is performed in such a way that there is always a very small gap between the back and the pan.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,765,237, issued Jun. 16, 1998 to Okamoto, describes a flush pot assembly having a pot, which is concealed when it is not being used. The pot can be easily accessed for use and washed with washing water after use even by a disabled person or a hospital patient. The flush pot assembly includes a pot connected to a flexible drain hose for passing washing water. The pot is provided such that it is integral with a back surface of a door. The door can be opened and closed and constitutes part of one side of a room. The flexible drain hose is connected between the pot and a drainpipe, which leads to the outside of the room. The pot is moved into the room by opening the door and is accommodated in a space outside the room by closing the door.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,797,959, issued Jan. 17, 1989 to Decaux, discloses a sanitary unit having an automatic cleansing cycle. The unit comprises a lockable enclosure in which a partition defines a usage zone and a maintenance zone. A bowl is mounted for rotation between a utilization position in which it projects horizontally from the partition in said usage zone and a cleaning position in which it is tipped up into an opening in the partition so as to empty it into the maintenance zone. The upwards opening of the bowl is separated into two sections by a partition wall which extends upwardly to cooperate with the front walls of the bowl to form a rim surrounding the utilization section of the bowl. The bottom of the partition wall stops short of the base of the bowl to define an orifice and the rear section of the bowl forms an evacuation passage from the evacuation orifice rearwards to the maintenance zone when the bowl is tipped up.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,301,558, issued Nov. 24, 1981 to Decaux, indicates a sanitary unit of the type comprising a vessel, which is mounted to be movable between a position of use and a cleaning position. In the swung over cleaning position, the pan faces the rotary brush and the back part closes the upper part of the drum of the brush so as to preclude any projection of water outside the drum. Further, the drum comprises a water supply system provided with radial perforations, which extend throughout the generatrix of the brush so as to spray the latter and complete the cleaning. The fluid supplied by the system may be pure water or water to which an anti-bacteria or anti-microbe disinfecting solution has been added.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,446,928, issued Sep. 5, 1995 to Daniels, discloses a lift to flush toilet stool. The toilet stool includes a bowl supported above the ground, a flexible hose connecting the bowl to a sewer pipe and a support member for releasably retaining the flexible hose in a trap configuration. The bowl is lifted and the flexible hose substantially straightened to flush the toilet stool.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,091,473, issued May 30, 1978 to Matthews, indicates an adjustable toilet mounted on the wall of a bathroom. The toilet is raised and lowered by an electrically driven motor. By raising and lowering the toilet, the elderly, the handicapped, and children are aided in the use of the toilet. The toilet provides electrical limit switches for stopping the motor at a desired height above the bathroom floor.
What is needed is a toilet cleaning system which works automatically with every flush providing both intense brushing and detergent cleaning.